Another Casualty

Last year the government documents community became alarmed by a growing trend on the part of the federal government to suppress access to information in the name of national security. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and other federal agencies removed information deemed "sensitive" from web sites and, in the case of the USGS, from depository libraries.

Many think the Bush administration seems intent on reducing access to information. The most recent casualty in that offensive is PubScience. In November 2001, after three short years, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) pulled the plug on the database.

PubScience, launched in 1999, was modeled on the highly successful National Library of Medicine's PubMed database (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi). Its stated purpose was to "facilitate searching and accessing peer reviewed journal literature in the physical sciences and other energy-related disciplines." PubScience, with support from some scholarly societies and commercial publishers, provided citations and abstracts for over two million articles from hundreds of scholarly journals.

As with PubMed, PubScience linked directly from citations to their respective journals. Access to individual articles was dependent on subscriber status. The increased discovery of resources could lead to increased sales of scholarly research materials, a win-win situation for publishers and the research community. Not so according to lobbyists from the Software and Information Industry Association (SIIA), who argued that PubScience unfairly competed against private-sector databases such as Scirus (www.scirus.com) and Infotrieve (www.infotrieve.com). In SIIA's view, the federal government should provide resource and discovery tools for government information only, ignoring the reality that most basic research in the physical sciences is funded by the federal government.

Despite vigorous opposition from a broad-ranging coalition of library and government watchdog groups, SIIA arguments held sway. PubScience is no more. With this win under SIIA's belt, many fear the association will tackle other citation databases produced directly or indirectly by the federal government. AGRICOLA (www.nal.usda.gov/ag98) and Global Legal Information Network (www.loc.gov/law/glin) are rumored to be next.

To be fair, some critics feel that PubScience never lived up to its early promise. Nevertheless, while the database may never have equaled the sum of its parts, it only existed for three years and certainly could have improved with time. It is very troubling, however, that the DOE parroted arguments advanced by the SIIA in its justification to close the database.

The Notable Documents List was established by the the American Library Association's Government Documents Round Table (GODORT) in 1984 to "foster awareness of foreign, international, state and local documents available in American libraries" and to "encourage nondepository libraries to acquire government publications." The resources included in this year's list cover a broad range of topics: science, current events, policy issues, and history.

Information is both the currency and lingua franca of commerce, development, continued scientific advancement, and citizen participation. The Government Documents Round Table and its members remain committed to access to government information. To find out more about GODORT and its work, visit the round table homepage (sunsite.berkeley.edu/GODORT). It features an extensive array of information, including news about policy developments and current issues of concern.

Many of these resources are available at federal depository libraries. Find those near you at the Locate Federal Libraries page (www.access.gpo.gov/sudocs/locators/findlibs/index.html).

Aerospace Science: Frontiers of Aviation History. 2d ed. by DeShana E. Chisolm & others. Maxwell Air Force Base, Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, U.S. Air Force. 2002. 580p. illus. SuDoc # D 301.26/6:AE 8/2/2002.
Written to provide junior ROTC members with basic knowledge about the origins and continuing development of aerospace, this book would be useful for anyone with an interest in military history. It is divided into four units—Heritage of Flight, Development of Air Power, Toward Military Aerospace, and Contemporary Aviation—and is designed as an instructional text with "words to remember" and questions at the end of each chapter.

America's Children: Our Challenge, Our Future; U.S.A. Report on Progress Toward the Goals of the 1990 World Summit for Children. U.S. Department of Health & Human Svcs. 2001. 103p. illus. SuDoc # HE 1.2:C 43/9. NTIS # PB2002102691.
In 1990, the U.S. delegation to the World Summit on Children defined certain negative health conditions and risk factors that specifically affect American children and adolescents and articulated a set of ten-year goals in a report titled A Culture of Caring: America's Commitment to Children and Families. America's Children describes the progress toward those goals and the remaining challenges we as a nation face. Conclusions are supported by a variety of data collected from federal agencies.

Building the Bombs: A History of the Nuclear Weapons Complex. by Charles R. Loeber. Sandia National Laboratories, U.S. Department of Energy. 2002. 280p. illus. SuDoc # E 1.2:B 86/9. Stock # 061-000-00960-4. $29.
This history of the Nuclear Weapons Complex (NWC), a group of government-owned but contractor-operated laboratories, includes a general chronicle of the U.S. nuclear program. The book opens with a description of early breakthroughs in atomic physics by Einstein and others and continues with a study of the Manhattan Project during World War II. Written for the layperson and covering developments in the Cold War and post–Cold War eras, the book also explains the basic principles of nuclear weaponry.

Empty Promises: The Myth of College Access in America; A Report. Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance, U.S. Department of Education. 2002. 60p. illus. SuDoc # ED 1.2:P 94/11. NTIS # PB2002108565. www.ed.gov/offices/AC/ACSFA/emptypromises.pdf.
This report outlines the arguments for reauthorizing the Higher Education Act of 1965. It is divided into four main sections: Financial Barriers, Impact on Students, National Consequences, and Implications for Federal Policy. Illustrated with numerous bar graphs and charts, it follows up on the commission's 2001 report Access Denied: Restoring the Nation's Commitment to Equal Educational Opportunity.

Federal Justice in the Mid-Atlantic South: United States Courts from Maryland to the Carolinas, 1789– 1835. by Peter Graham Fish. Administrative Office of the United States Courts. 2002. 352p. illus. bibliog. index. SuDoc # JU 10.2:C 83/6. OCLC # 49848022.
This thoroughly researched and footnoted history of the 4th Circuit Courts during the formative years of American jurisprudence encompasses the states of Maryland, Virginia, and North and South Carolina. Fish (political science and law, Duke Univ.) has reviewed and analyzed hundreds of federal statutes, presidential decisions, and court cases relevant to the development of the national court system and the role of the federal judiciary in building the new nation. The cases and events surrounding them are vividly described in nonlegalese. With an extensive bibliography and four indexes (court cases, names, statutes, and subjects), Federal Justice should find a home in all public or academic libraries.

Menu Magic for Children. U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2002. 35p. illus. SuDoc # A 98.8/ 2:328. www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Resources/menu_magic.pdf.
Intended for child-care providers, this slim volume contains recipes and menu planners for various age groups. It also includes shopping guides and explanations of the basic principles of nutrition. It would be a useful tool for any kitchen where meals are prepared for children.

Our Vanishing Past: The Crisis of Cultural and Paleontological Resources on BLM Lands. Bureau of Land Management. 2002. 138p. illus. maps. SuDoc # I 53.2: C89/6. NTIS # PB2002103530.
This timely report contains state-by-state presentations of cultural and paleontological resources available on Bureau of Land Management (BLM)–managed public lands and describes current threats posed by individual collectors, recreational activities, or nature itself. Via statistics and colored maps, the book documents the preservation efforts of BLM and its partners.

A Quiet Crisis in America: A Report to Congress. Commission on Affordable Housing & Health Facility Needs for Seniors in the 21st Century. 2002. 492p. SuDoc # Y 3.2:H 81/3/C 86. Stock # 052-003-01492-1. $48. www.seniorscommission.gov/pages/final_report/finalreport.pdf.
By 2020, 20 percent of the U.S. population will be over the age of 65. Additionally, recent changes in American lifestyles are creating barriers that previous generations of the elderly did not face. The thesis of the commission's report is that America needs to begin preparing now to meet the housing and health needs of the growing elderly population because the private sector alone is not equipped to do so. Congress needs to begin immediately putting appropriate statutory and financial structures in place to address adequately our "quiet crisis"—the current and future needs of an aging population.

Science.gov. Office of Scientific & Technical Information, U.S. Department of Energy. 2002–. www.science.gov.
A collaborative effort of a number of disparate agencies, including the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, and Interior; Environmental Protection; NASA; and National Science Foundation, this portal aims to provide one-stop shopping for scientific and technical information from key federal sources. In addition to a browsable collection of links, the site features a keyword search engine that covers the web sites of all participating agencies as well as a classified collection of annotated links to indexes and databases such as AGRICOLA, MEDLINE/PubMed, and NTIS, among others. This site will be very useful for librarians with a limited personal acquaintance with scientific and technical information.

Connecticut

A Fisheries Guide to Lakes and Ponds of Connecticut, Including the Connecticut River and Its Coves. 3d ed. by Robert P. Jacobs & Eileen B. O'Donnell. Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. 2002. 354p. illus. maps. LC 2002025689. ISBN 0-942085-12-4. $29.95; pap. ISBN 0-942085-11-6. $19.95.
Over 20 years' worth of sampling, monitoring, and data evaluation culminates in the third edition of one of the state's most popular and enduring publications. Considered a bible for sport fishers, this volume includes information on fish populations and habitats, lake and pond ecology, lake productivity, water clarity, thermal stratification, and aquatic vegetation. The work also features colorful photographs and bathymetric maps.

Maryland

Town Creek: Long-Range Planning Guide for Ecosystem Management. Department of Natural Resources–Forest Service. 2002. 35p. illus. OCLC # 50916196. pap. Free.
This guide was developed with information gathered from stakeholders. The work includes objectives and recommendations for ecosystem management within the Town Creek watershed. The volume, which includes case studies, summarizes program studies, restoration projects, the views of community leaders, and lessons learned over time.

New Jersey

New Jersey's Underground Railroad Heritage: "Steal Away, Steal Away…"; A Guide to the Underground Railroad in New Jersey. New Jersey Historical Commission. 2002. 12p. illus. bibliog. OCLC # 49700365. pap.
Beginning with a brief introduction to the Underground Railroad, this work also includes a chronology of significant events relating to the movement in New Jersey. Brief biographies of key figures combine with photographs and descriptions of important sites, e.g., churches and private homes. A bibliography completes the work.

North Dakota

More Dakota Day Trips: "Discovering North Dakota's Hidden Treasures." by Cliff Naylor & Monica Hannan. North Dakota Department of Commerce, Tourism Division. 2001. 120p. illus. OCLC #48505540. ISBN 0-9675758-1-8. pap. $9.95.
The cover illustration says it all: Naylor and Hannan are gassing up the car and heading out to discover the sights and sounds of rural North Dakota. Most of the stories are based on Naylor's KFYR-TV series Off the Beaten Path. The narratives are accompanied by photographs of unique people, places, and haunts that may not be found in the typical travel guide.

Oklahoma

Annotated Bibliography of Government Documents Related to the Threat of Terrorism and the Attacks of September 11, 2001. comp. by Kevin D. Motes. Oklahoma Department of Libraries. 2002. OCLC #49648864. www.odl.state.ok.us/usinfo/terrorism/911.htm. pap.
Downloaded over 73,000 times, this timely, annotated bibliography provides access to information produced by the U.S. government on the events of September 11, 2001. Items are arranged alphabetically by document title within a broad range of subject areas. URLs to individual documents are provided when applicable, and SuDoc numbers are given to assist users in locating publications at depository libraries. Volume 2 updates information since April 2002. Motes is with the U.S. Government Information Division, Oklahoma Department of Libraries.

Forty-Six Important Federal Publications About Oklahoma—the 46th State. by Steve Beleu. 2001. Oklahoma Department of Libraries. 15p. OCLC # 47593533. Free while copies last.
This bibliography lists 46 federal government publications that highlight important events in Oklahoma history, including The Five Civilized Tribes, Gold and Silver Fever, The Wichita National Forest, Rights of Women in Oklahoma, Remembering Will Rogers, The Dust Bowl, and Oklahoma City Bombing. Each entry includes the title, author, a physical description of the publication, SuDoc number, and a brief annotation.

Tennessee

Building Tennessee's Tomorrow: Anticipating the State's Infrastructure Needs. by Harry A. Green. Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations. 2002. 221p. www.state.tn.us/tacir/infrastructure.htm.
This report is the third in a series on public infrastructure needs prepared by the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR). The primary charge of TACIR is to develop programs that would "improve the quality of life of its citizens, support livable communities, and enhance and encourage the overall economic development of the state."

Wisconsin

Teaching Character Education Using Children's Literature: Wisconsin's Standards of the Heart. Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction; Division for Learning Support: Equity and Advocacy and Division for Learning Support: Instruction Services. 2001. 72p. ISBN 1-57337-099-1. pap. or CD-ROM. $12; $18 out-of-state.
This timely and well-organized publication is tailored for education professionals and parents. Sample features include teaching learning strategies and extensive bibliographies of literature for children and young adults. A "standard of the heart" is defined as the development of productive, responsible, caring, and contributing citizens.

Transportation Planning Resource Guide: A Guide to Preparing the Transportation Element of a Local Comprehensive Plan. Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Division of Transportation Investment Management, Bureau of Planning. 2001. 88p. maps OCLC # 47139700. www.dot.wisconsin.gov/localgov/docs/planningguide.pdf.
Published in print and on the web, this guide was designed to assist local government officials in developing the transportation element of a community's comprehensive plan. Special features include appendixes with contact information, maps, a resource directory, and a reference list.

Virginia

The Capitol of Virginia: A Landmark of American Architecture. by Fiske Kimball. rev. & expanded ed. Library of Virginia. 2002. 95p. illus. LC 2002110170 ISBN 0-88490-203-X. $25.
This revised and expanded edition of Kimball's 1989 work focuses on continuing research on Virginia's capitol. In a new introduction, Charles Brownell (Virginia Commonwealth Univ.) brings together the research published since 1990, some of which points to flaws in Kimball's original conclusions. Architectural drawings accompany Brownell's text. An essay by conservator F. Carey Howlett summarizes an eight-year project to conserve and research an architectural model commissioned by Thomas Jefferson. An analysis of the model offers fresh insights into the building's origins. An excellent source for research and general collections.

Africa Environment Outlook: Past, Present and Future Perspectives. UNEP. 2002. 410p. illus. ISBN 92-807-2101-1. Sales # 02.III.D.20. $37.50.
This in-depth discussion of Africa's environmental issues begins with an overview of the period 1972–2002. The book contains a detailed examination of current environmental issues and their policy framework. The volume also considers human vulnerability to environmental change, as well as potential environmental concerns and policy responses. Color photographs, tables, graphs, and a list of references enhance the text.

Beyond Violence: Conflict Resolution Process in Northern Ireland. by Mari Fitzduff. UN University Pr. 2002. 256p. ISBN 92-808-1078-2. Sales # E.02.III.A.13. $21.95.
Fitzduff, a professor of conflict studies at the University of Ulster who has been personally affected by the conflict in Northern Ireland, established INCORE, a conflict resolution training project that focuses on local issues. The program was later expanded to provide courses on conflict resolution geared toward policymakers and practitioners. This publication traces some of the history and main points of the conflict, moving into training, programs, and lessons learned. Included are the complete text of the Belfast Agreement , notes, and references.

China in the World Economy: The Domestic Policy Challenges. OECD. 2002. 816p. illus. bibliog. ISBN 92-64-19707-9. $120.
Divided into two main headings—Sector Studies and Economy-Wide Issues—this publication examines China's economy in detail. Each chapter includes notes and a bibliography and is illustrated with numerous tables and graphs. There are four appendixes: two on China and the World Trade Organization, a section on tertiary education, and a summary of China's main economic indicators.

Ecotourism: Principles, Practices and Policies for Sustainability. by Megan Epler Wood. UNEP. 2002. 61p. illus. ISBN 92-807-2064-3. Sales # 02.III.D.14. $15. www.uneptie.org/pc/tourism/library.
The World Conservation Union defines ecotourism as "environmentally responsible travel and visitation to relatively undisturbed natural areas." This publication, written by the president of the International Ecotourism Society, expands on the definition and discusses components of success. Case studies, charts, and black-and-white photos are found throughout. A listing of resource documents and organizations is included.

The Future of Money. OECD. 2002. 176p. ISBN 92-64-19672-2. $19.
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Forum for the Future was convened to discuss the future of money and credit in light of recent advances in technology. This volume includes papers presented at the meeting held in Luxembourg, July 2001.

Journeys of Jeopardy: A Review of Research on Trafficking in Women and Children in Europe. by Elizabeth Kelly. International Organization for Migration. (Migration Series, No. 11). 2002. 69p. ISSN 1607-338X. $16. www.iom.int/documents/publication/en/mrs%5F11%5F2002.pdf.
According to this study, although international trafficking in women and children is growing, knowledge about the size and scope of the problem is incomplete. The book aims to "summarize what we know today but also to organize the material into key themes, critically assess the knowledge base, and identify gaps and future challenges." References are included.

Profiting from Abuse: An Investigation into the Sexual Exploitation of Our Children. UNICEF. 2001. 44p. ISBN 92-806-3733-9. Sales #E.01.XX.14. $7.95. www.unicef.org/pubsgen/profiting/profiting.pdf.
This brief report includes moving words from the victims of child sexual exploitation and summarizes the known facts and figures. According to the report, some victims are bought and sold as many as 12 times. Steps being taken to counter this global horror are included.

Study on Women, Peace and Security. United Nations. 2002. 192p. bibliog. ISBN 92-1-130222-6. Sales # E. 03.IV.1. $25.
Security Council Resolution 1325 (adopted October 2000) was the impetus for this study to determine "the impact of armed conflict on women and girls, the role of women in peacebuilding, and the gender dimensions of peace processes and conflict resolutions" (foreword). The full-text of the resolution as well as an extensive bibliography are also included.

Sustainable Sport Management: Running an Environmentally, Socially and Economically Responsible Organization. by David Chernushenko with Anna van der Kamp & David Stubbs. UNEP. 2001. 245p. bibliog. ISBN 92-807-2072-4. Sales #E.01.III.D.46. $35; CD-ROM $30.
Environmental issues cross over into the sports arena in areas such as facilities operations, equipment and supply production, and related services. The purpose of this publication is to provide ideas on how to manage sport better in an environmentally sensitive manner. There are case studies and a bibliography. Chernushenko is an individual member, the International Olympic Committee Sport and Environment Commission, and president, Green & Gold, Inc.

Understanding the Brain: Towards a New Learning Science. OECD. 2002. 114p. ISBN 92-64-19734-6. $20.
This publication summarizes the work of a collaborative project between brain and learning researchers and policymakers. It is divided into three parts: Premises, Cognitive Neuroscience Meets Education, and Conclusion, which also outlines next steps. References and a glossary are also included.

United Nations Yearbook Collection 1946– 1999. 2 vols. United Nations. 2002. ISBN 92-1-100907-3. Sales #E.03.I.8. CD-ROM. $500/$150 renewal (single user); $1000/$300 renewal (networked).
Available for either single users or networks, this two-CD-ROM set contains the complete full texts of all 53 annual United Nations Yearbooks—a key resource for research on both the history of the United Nations and its role in world events. Compatible with Windows, Macintosh, Linux, and UNIX operating systems, the CD-ROMs allow for browsing by year or searching by index terms. Annual updates to the set are planned.

World Public Sector Report: Globalization and the State. UN Department of Economic & Social Affairs. 2001. 184p. illus. ISBN 92-1-123145-0. Sales # E.01.II.H.2 $25.
A first edition of a planned biennial report, this volume addresses the role of the state in issues relating to globalization, such as poverty, human rights, environment, development, and international crime. It features tables, graphs, and a list of references.